One Step at a Time
by AkatsukiMemberShadow
Summary: Adopted From Lerryn. Summary will be updated at a later time
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Everyone! I am back and have decided to continue a story that I story was originally written by Lerryn.**

**I hope it comes out good in the end :)**

**I will be posting the first chapters written by her and then I will start continuing it.**

**~Shadow**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did then Kakashi would have revealed his face already!**

'Ah, he's fast no way I'm going to live!' Aki was sprinting through the trees with tears all down her face, twigs grazing her skin and tree roots tripping her up. 'Even the forest is against me now, he's close I can't turn around.'

"Girl, you just keep running it's still the end for you!" She turned around at the last minute to at least get one last look at her killer, but she'd have a few more seconds now. She had tripped over a tree root and was now on the floor with a sprained ankle with her killer moving closer.

"I do now wish to make this anymore painful, stay still and DIE!" He held his huge sword above his head and was about to bring it crashing down. Aki looked to the ground frozen in fear waiting for the shock.

"Hey, Itachi leave her, might as well make her suffer, growing up with no family, friends that should be more painful than dying." Kisame was a few meters in the distance watching with a smirk. Itachi turned to face him and nodded lifting his sword him and Kisame were gone so fast a normal eye wouldn't see. Aki was left shaking ,cold and covered in stab wounds from when Itachi had caught her just on the end of his sword and pierced her. 'How did I out run him? He was a member of that group… what was it… Akatsuki! But that fish guy was right now I'm alone, no family or friends all because those teme destroyed my home' Aki started to cry again even though she thought all her tears were gone. Aki lived on a small island at least 5 miles way from the main islands, called 'The Flower Country'. Nobody on the main islands knew about this place; or so she thought because Akatsuki managed to find it. The country was directly underneath the country of Konoha and you only had to get a boat to go there, but the people of the flower country learnt to cope with what was already on their island.

Flashback:

"Be a dear Aki and go fishing we need something for dinner" Aki's mum was in the 'kitchen' in their hut.

"Sure thing mom, I'll be back by 5.30, will dad be back from mining by then?" Her mum nodded and Aki picked up her make-shift fishing rod and ran to the harbour. She untied a boat and hopped into it rowing to the best fishing spot, 'Bass coral' is what she liked to call it because no matter what time of year there was always plenty of bass. The only down side about it was that it was really far away from her village, the hibiscus village.

'I've been out here for hours, oh well 10 fish should be enough!' Aki hauled her rod back into the boat and began the long row back to her village. 'BANG' her boat had hit the harbour wall she jumped out, picked up all her fish and began running through the village, with her brunette, shoulder-blade length hair blowing wildly behind her making sure the orange and green hibiscus flower in her hair didn't fall out and her orange, gold eyes sparkling with tears as the wind was making her eyes water.

'Oh nobody's on the market stalls maybe there all inside, it does look like it's going to rain' Aki turned down her street and headed towards her hut. 'Okay, where is everybody…' She paused and looked round after she heard a piercing scream. "M…mom is that you are you okay?" She tried to shout but realised how croaky and small her voice had come out, she was terrified and her legs were paralysed. She managed to move and stopped just outside her door and peered round the side. Her mom and dad were lying on the floor covered in blood, her mom's eyes were closed and it looked like her dad's were about to.

"Oh my god dad are you okay? What happened? Who did this to you?"

"A…Aki, run… get away from him…here its….its not safe."

"No dad I'm not leaving you, what do you mean 'get away from him'?" Aki looked around the hut but couldn't see anyone then turned straight back to her parents. As her eyes got used to the darkness in the hut, she could see her dad's injuries more clearly, there were at least 6 stab marks in his chest and stomach.

"Oh, dad…" She threw herself on top of him and hugged him, crying as she looked up she noticed his eyes were closing. "No… no dad don't you dare close you eyes, you're going to be okay. Come on I can help you get to a hospital, I can row us to the one in Konoha, maybe they can help mom too…" Her dad smiled sweetly although his eyes held fear, sadness and pain.

"Aki, there is nothing you can do for me or your mother now." Her dad wretched and held his chest as she continued, "Get… away and r…run I lo…love you A…Aki"

"I love you too dad, you too… mom" As her dad's eyes closed he coughed up one last bit of blood and lay still and cold. 'Dad, Mom, I love you both'

"Aw, how touching, thought I'd stay for your little show" Aki turned around her eyes wide only to see a man who resembled a fish more and another man with black hair and red eyes emerge from the shadows. Then Aki's eyes narrowed and she spoke coldly.

"So you did this, you're both sick!" 'Get away from him, huh? So these are the guys dad told me too run from' Suddenly Aki's fear sunk deep down inside her as anger boiled. Itachi and Kisame looked unfazed by Aki's words as Kisame went to unravel, what Aki thought, was his sword covered in blood. 'Now I know why nobody was out, these baka's killed… everyone, except me because I was out fishing.'

"Well I'm sure you two are lovely guys, judging by those weapons, but I can't stay and chat, ja ne!" Aki stood up and took one last look at her parents, blew them a kiss and ran, ran as fast as she could she had a pretty good idea where she was going, the harbour she had to get to Konoha, the main island. Aki approached the harbour and all she could think was 'Boat, boat I need a boat...' Aki spotted the one she left earlier and jumped into it, she knew she would never out-run these guys, they were really strong shinobi, but it wasn't instinct that told her this it was her blood-line limit. She had the power to read minds, you couldn't see her mark though as it was covered by her brown bangs. 'Wait, I could never read minds before, it's not meant to activate until your 13, I'm 12 but yet I can read these two's mind?' Aki bent over the side of the boat, lifted her bangs and looked at her reflection in the water. The flower shaped mark on her fore-head was glowing pink. 'Well I guess I'm early' Akin closed her eyes she was going to try and read Itachi's mind.

"Damn it, where's that girl! Now she knows we did this nobody else must find out other wise we can never have this village as Akatsuki's new hide-out"

Aki's eyes shot open with a smirk, they had turned the opposite end of the street to her and were near the top of the town, she was dead at the bottom halfway out into the sea. 'Now, what was it dad said… the birds will lead the way then once you get there the flowers can guide you to safety, dad is… was so strange' She looked into the sky only to see birds flying slowly up ahead maybe they did want her to follow them. Clasping her paddle and checking there were no Akatsuki on her tail she rowed so fast it, looked like her arms were one tanned blur, she had always been tanned, being outside most of her life. Her arms strained but she knew she shouldn't stop as she could see a thick forest which must have been the outskirts of Konoha village. She practically leaped out of the boat and sprinted, she decided she would read the fish guy's mind this time.

"Ha, this stupid bitch thinks she can out-run us, Akatsuki. Itachi is the strongest one of us all and she doesn't even realise we can see her from behind, we're catching up."

'What! How have they caught up they were at the other end of the town when I left and now there right behind me? The flowers, where are they there meant to guide me but all I see is trees.' Aki was worried now; she couldn't run away from these guys they would easily find her. But she was slowing down ever so slightly with twigs grazing her. She looked behind her. Big mistake, Itachi and Kisame were right behind her. Itachi's sword plunged into her back but only slightly as she sped off, that didn't mean it didn't hurt, in fact it hurt like nothing she'd ever felt before. The blood stain showed through her yellow kimono, covering up the brown flowers, it spread like when you spill a drink on carpet. Aki started crying but wiped away the tears, she heard Kisame.

"Girl, you just keep running it's still the end for you!" This shocked Aki and as she turned to face him she tripped on a tree root and waiting for the pain.

End flashback.

Aki stood up, sore, in pain and alone. She limped towards a tree a leant against it, noticing that there was a mark on it, like a kunai had left it. It was a down arrow, so Aki looked down and noticed a trail or beautiful, pink flowers underneath her. 'The flowers will guide you… thanks father' Aki had never learnt any ninja skills in her life; unless you count her mind reading, but she knew all about chakra and could run and jump at the speed of a shinobi.

20 minutes later Aki was out of strength and could follow the trail of flowers no more. As her back went to the tree she flinched and leaned forward again as the stab mark was stinging. This time she leant more carefully, letting the feeling of wet, sticky blood rub on her back and her hair was now dangling in it too, as her hair tie had been ripped out of her hair by a tree, but she didn't care. Aki closed her eyes, let her breathing slow and let the feeling of sleep overpower her, then Aki blacked out; she had fainted from the pain. So there she was leaning against a tree, asleep and helpless with her hair blowing gently in the wind and the sun shining above her making her hair look almost golden.

"I still don't see why I need to help you walk your dog Kiba; I mean it's not as if you can't do it on your own!" Naruto and Kiba were out of Konoha and walking Akamaru.

"He's not my dog Naruto, he's Akamaru, plus we're not walking him we're training, Hokage-sama said you were bugging her so much, that I should let you train with me!"

"Baa-chan said that? I'm appalled!" Naruto had a shocked look on his face which turned into laughter, Kiba joined in soon after and Akamaru marked happily.

"So where do you train anyway Kiba?"

"Oh well it's this place surrounded by flowers and the sun shines from a hole in the trees so it's a cool place, because nobody else knows about it" Kiba smirked letting his fangs show and his eyes becoming excited.

"So why are you showing it to me?"

"Good point, Naruto. I don't know why but I guess it's because I trust you, Akamaru does to"

"Well I'm going to train hard and fulfil my promise to Sakura, I will bring Sasuke back!"

"Well good luck with that Naruto" Kiba chuckled as they pushed there way through some bushes into Kiba's special spot.

"Whoa you were right Kiba, this is cool" Kiba nodded and Akamaru barked as Kiba let him jump out of his fleece and start to run around. Akamaru didn't come back when Kiba called him though.

"Akamaru, what's the matter with you, come back" Naruto snorted at the following event.

"Some dog Kiba; you haven't even trained him to come to you when you call him" However Naruto stopped laughing when he saw the look of worry on Kiba's face.

"Eh Kiba?" All Naruto could hear was barking but of course Kiba could understand it.

"Akamaru says he can smell a human girl and blood, lots of it" Kiba sniffed the air.

"I can smell it too, come on Naruto this way! Follow Akamaru" Kiba ran off after Akamaru and after the shock in Naruto settled he ran off too. 'Please don't say Sakura is in trouble; please don't let it be Sakura' Naruto was so caught up in his thoughts, that he didn't realise Kiba and Akamaru had stopped and Naruto banged into Kiba's back. Kiba was just stood there mouth gaping, eyes wide and his finger pointing to the girl in front of barked bringing him out of his trance and he turned to let Naruto see the girl in front of him. 'Phew, that's definitely not Sakura, but why is she like this? Who is she? She's really….beautiful, wait did I just think that? I like Sakura not this girl. Although…' Naruto went forward to help her but Kiba put his arm out and stopped him.

"Kiba, let's help her!"

"Wait Naruto, what if it's a trap I mean…look at her no girl could be that pretty without being a fake or a clone or transformation"

"Good point, we'll just make a plan as we go along, but we wouldn't be doing our job as shinobi if we don't help her" Kiba nodded and they both jumped to the girl. They tried poking her, shouting in her ear and Naruto even went to slap her but Kiba stopped him!

"Maybe she's d…dea…dead?" Naruto looked shocked, but Kiba just hit him on the head.

"No baka, she's breathing I think she's just unconscious and so far there's no traps so we might as well take her back to Konoha."

"But where's she from, she doesn't have a fore-head protector or anything, just that flower in her hair."

"Never mind that, right now she needs help" Kiba pulled her forward off the tree and slightly gagged as he smelt the half dry, half fresh blood on her clothes and in her hair. He covered his nose with his arm.

"You big scaredy-cat Kiba it's just a bit of blood, but then again I don't have as sensitive smell as you, so I'll take her" Kiba nodded and got a head start to the village with Akamaru following.

"You poor girl, who did this to you," Naruto picked her up bridal style and jumped off the ground to make his way to Konoha. As they arrived at the gate Kiba and Akamaru were waiting and talking to the guards, probably explaining what just happened. He motioned for Naruto to come over so he nodded and did; he landed carefully with the girl still in his arms.

"This is the girl, we don't know who she is or who did this to her but can we at least take her to the hospital?" Kiba pleaded the guard as he had an un-decided look on his face then he smiled. Naruto let out a long breath, which he didn't realise he had been holding.

"Sure, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't as long as after you make sure she's okay that you go and tell the Hokage"

"Sure thing" Naruto gave a wide grin and headed through the gates to the hospital. They went straight to the front desk and as soon as the nurse saw the girl she ushered them into taking her to the E.R.

"How long is she going to be?" Kiba and Naruto were sat outside the emergency room looking very impatient.

"I'm not sure, but I think I should go tell the Hokage, let me know if something happens, I'll be back as soon as I can." 'I really hope your okay, I don't know you yet, but I don't want to lose another person special to me' Naruto was out of the hospital door and didn't want to wait to be sent in to the Hokage's office so he flew straight into Tsunade's office via the window.

"Baa-chan, there's an emergency!" Naruto was only looking at the Hokage so didn't notice the other 20 jounin in the room until Kakashi coughed.

"Naruto, I'm busy it can't be anymore important than this."

"Oh and what is 'this' about?"

"Itachi and Kisame have been spotted on the border of Konoha again but for some reason they didn't actually come into the village." Kakashi cut in.

"Yes, Naruto so unless it's linked to this which I know it won't be then leave… NOW!"

"Wait…. I think it might be. I came to tell you that while me and Kiba were out we found this girl covered in blood and leant against a tree just on the border and had fainted, we don't know who she is but she's in E.R now. After what you've just told me I think Itachi and Kisame might have done it." All the jounin had shocked faces but now Tsunade was stood up with a shocked face.

"All jounin will return here later! Naruto lead the way" She gestured to the window and Naruto jumped out running all the way back to the hospital, the Hokage close behind.

"Excuse me" A doctor came out of the operating theatre with a simple look on his face. "Are you the person that brought this girl in?" Kiba nodded standing up, then the doctors face turned to a slight smile.

"She's in a stable condition, but she's not completely out of her life-threatening situation yet. You brought her in just in time but unfortunately only the Hokage's medical power could save her now." As if on cue Naruto and the Hokage appeared out the E.R

"Well, well Naruto I guess it was an emergency, Doctor explain to me what's going on!" Tsunade began to walk toward the doctor as they turned around and went back into the operating room.

"Kiba, is she okay?"

"You heard the doctor! Only Hokage-sama can save her now" They both stopped and turned around to look at the voice calling there names. Sakura was there running towards them with a smile on her face, that quickly faded when she saw the hurt and worry in Naruto and Kiba's faces.

"What's the matter? I heard a rumour that one of you got heard but I guess it was a lie, you both look fine!" Sakura looked happy again.

"Uh… well somebody did get hurt really badly, just not… us" Kiba looked down to the floor with his foot tapping impatiently.

"Then who did? I heard Itachi was here as well, oh…my… it's not Sasuke is it?" She tried to contain herself but he face was showing otherwise she was blushing, her eyes sparkling with excitement and a huge smile from ear to ear, this annoyed Naruto, and he couldn't believe what he was about to do. He was now stood up in front of Sakura, ready to say something.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke, Get over it Sakura I can't bring him back yet I'm not strong enough, nobody is! He doesn't want to come back yet anyway! He's not hurt, a girl that we found in the forest is! She is half-dead and in a life-threatening condition, in fact it's so bad Tsunade is in there now trying to help and all you can think about is your precious Sasuke! Get a grip Sakura!" Naruto stood there eye's wide and out of breath after his little speech. Sakura was stood there so shocked with a blank face; she couldn't believe that the sweet, kind and caring boy in front of her was arguing at her, about his best-friend. Sakura tried to speak but couldn't manage it although she did in the end.

"She must be some girl, huh Naruto?" Sakura smiled sweetly at Naruto, this shocked him to no end. 'She's really being nice to me after I just said all that, I feel terrible!'

"Look Sakura I'm so, so sorry I don't know why I just said that, it just c…came out gomen!" Sakura now laughed at him pleading.

"Its fine Naruto, I shouldn't be thinking about Sasuke all the time, your right. How is this girl anyway is she someone from the village?" Kiba finally interrupted after listening intently to there conversation.

"No we don't know who she is or where she comes from, but we do know Akatsuki tried to kill her, Itachi and Kisame to be precise."

"That's terrible, do you mind if I wait with you to see if she's okay?"

"Sure you can Sakura" Naruto smiled at her and she took a seat next to him and she squeezed his hand to let him know everything would be okay. 'For him to shout at me like that, he must really like this girl', then the doctor and Tsunade appeared at the operating door.

"Naruto, Kiba Sakura," All 3 stood up.

"Baa-chan is she okay? Will she live?" Naruto looked hopeful and his eyes were filled with water but he wasn't going to cry. 'Damn, why do I like this girl so much, I don't know her name, anything about her or even what her personality is like, she could even be on Orochimaru's side for all I know!'

"Well she's…"

"Baa-chan tell me now! What's wrong?"

"Well….

**Well that was the first chapter!**

**I will be trying to update this as quickly as possible, but I also have school to worry about too, so I will get the already written chapters up first and then will try to update it every week or so. :) **

**Please Review :3 **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own Naruto, however if I did I would make Byakugan see through clothes so I could call the Hyuuga's perverts! (Joke btw) XD**

'Damn, my backs killing me, my head to. Did I just have a majorly bad dream and now I can imagine the pain? Wait that's not possible, maybe I'm still having the nightmare now? Yeah that's probably it, I'd better wake up anyway Dad's probably back from work!' Aki was now half-awake as she blinked her eyes open only to violently shut them again after, seeing a very bright light in front of her. 'Oh wait, it's the sun, weird, my bedroom isn't next to a window…'

"Why'd I have to wait with her, this is so troublesome!" Aki stayed where she was after hearing this voice and a door slide open and shut it shocked her to no end. 'Dad doesn't sound like that, and it would be an insult to say that was mom' she stayed still even longer when she heard a chair being pulled next to her and somebody sitting down.

"Shikamaru, you're needed by the Hokage, something about finding a loop-hole in this loan repayment contract…" Aki heard a female voice that sounded full of authority.

"Ugh, just when I was sat down, okay tell her I'm on my way,"

"Hai," Shikamaru got out of the chair and made sure Aki's hospital room door was shut behind him; Aki only opened her eyes when she heard footsteps walk away from the door. When she was sure the owner of that voice had gone she sat up. 'W…where am I? Why hasn't the pain in my back gone?' Aki went to twist her kimono around, but stopping when she realised she was in some sort of hospital gown. 'Pain, hospital clothes, not knowing where I am… too weird' she pulled the covers off of herself and looked out the window, but she didn't see her village… she saw Konoha. 'This is Konoha, one of the main five countries that dad told me about, but what am I doing here? Think Aki, you need to think.' To clear her head and to get some fresh air she opened the window and stuck her head out. 'I woke up in my house this morning and did the usual, cleaning, talking to my mum, oh yeah she asked me to go fishing. So I did that, then I went back to the hut and…oh…oh please tell me t…that was a dream. My parents can't be dead…Akatsuki, they killed them and were after me, and then I blacked out. Somebody must have brought me here and they did surgery or something! I have to get back to my village, I can't stay here I need to help whoever still has a chance!'

"Clothes…clothes where are they?" Aki was speaking out loud but only quietly, she didn't want anybody to know she was escaping, they'd only stop her. Her eyes settled on the little table next to her bed with a box underneath. 'Ah, jackpot' after 2 minutes of struggling and a whole lot of stinging she was dressed, with her hair in a pony-tail; as not to disturb her wound. She was about to leave when something sparkled and caught her eye 'What's that, it's such a pretty hair grip, but it's not mine, how did it get there? Did somebody give it to me?' Aki had a white, sparkly and flowers-shaped hair grip in her hand. 'Too bad I already have a real flower in my hair or I would have worn it…I do still have a flower in my hair, right?' She gently lifted her arm to not lead to sharp pains, ringing through her like an electric shock and felt the left side of her bangs 'No…it's gone! Hey I can wear this pretty clip after all; still I should thank whoever got me this… except I'm not coming back. To bad, I'm leaving here; I have my own village to worry about. When I have restored it and helped some people I can say thanks to everyone here. Whoa….why am I being so deep? This isn't like me, maybe that bang to the head changed me' Aki slightly smirked and let out a small chuckle. Then placed the clip in her hair and jumped out the hospital window, despite the complaints from her scratches and scrapes.

"It was sweet of you Naruto, but I'm sure you didn't have to spend your money on getting that girl a hair-grip. You don't even know her; she should be the one thanking you and Kiba for saving her,"

"Well, I kind of owe her because I noticed she had a really cool flower in her hair and it fell out so I figured she'd miss it" Sakura simply smiled at her brightly dressed friend as they were headed to the hospital.

"But you were right Sakura, I feel a lot better after that ramen and got some fresh-air, but I've been worried about her the whole time,"

"Nothing to worry about, Shikamaru's watching her. Kiba did offer but his team got sent on a mission,"

"Hey guys,"

"Shikamaru?" Naruto was just starting to calm down at the thought of Aki being watched and kept safe, but now he saw the supposed 'guard' walking towards him he slightly panicked.

"I thought you were watching that girl? What if something happens and nobody's there? Like she wakes up and doesn't know where she is?"

"Chill Naruto, I just had to go see the Hokage for like, 2 minutes and I was just going back to see the girl now,"

"See Naruto, nothing to worry about? I'm sure she's fine, so let's all go in together,"

"Oh yeah, when I see Baa-chan remind me to ask her about that weird mark on the girls fore-head was, she never explained It to me when we were outside E.R"

Sakura nodded and the trio checked at the reception area then headed towards the second floor where Aki was staying.

Naruto couldn't help but glare at Shikamaru the whole time when finally he spoke up.

"She'd better be alright Shikamaru or I'll rasengan on you!" Shikamaru simply shrugged it off and they all took a deep-breath before entering her room.

'It was a good job I was on the second floor, or I'd just be a splat on the floor below my window!' Aki had managed to slide along the rooftops of Konoha without anyone noticing, but now she had to get past gate-keepers and 2 towers of watch-guards. Since she didn't have a Konoha headband on or even her headband on, they'd get suspicious. 'Whose stupid fault was it to make our country the only one without headbands? Oh wait, my dad! The only way we're recognised is because for girls, they'll have a flower in their hair and men because they have the symbol on clothing. Now I don't even have my flower, man I'm a mess!' She slowed down as she came to the last roof-top before the main gate. She was no brain-box at all but she had been told she was very good at being stealthy 'But what kind of excuse is that? I'm a ninja; well sort of, I'm supposed to be stealthy! Well I'm only going to get one chance; maybe I could wear a disguise? No that wouldn't work, I'll just have to sneak past there guard hut, they look half asleep anyway how hard could It be!' Although she was very wrong with that conclusion, every jounin had been told to look out for the girl wearing a green kimono with brown hair and golden eyes. She however didn't know that, as she had been unconscious for the past 3 hours! She jumped down from the roof she was on a quietly as she could and began moving forward. She didn't realise until it went all quiet but it felt like her heart was beating right next to ear and somebody had just yanked out all her body parts because her stomach felt empty. Then she swallowed down the nervous feeling and began to run as fast as she could. Maybe if she could run fast enough the guards wouldn't see and shrug it off. But she stopped herself in her tracks when it felt like somebody had slapped her round fore-head. 'Ouch my head oh wait my dokushin-jutsu works now I can read their minds and find out when there leaving!' Aki closed her eyes and performed a hand seal which made a pink and glowing flower shape mark appear on her fore-head and her hair blow back in the breeze slightly, next thing she knew she was reading one of their minds; first up was the guy with bandage and the saggy skin around his nose. "Why'd I have to work today? Not as if anything exciting is going on except that girl we have to look out for. But if she's as badly injured as they say then she's going to be in hospital for a while, it's not as if she can escape"

'Okay so that man sounds like he might get fed up and have a break in a minute anyway, but it doesn't hurt to check the guy with that bandana on his head. What is that for anyway?' But she closed her eyes again and let the pink mark on her fore-head glow. "I'm beginning to think the Hokage just treats us as slaves, we should make a stand! Yeah, nothings going to happen if we just go and get lunch for a couple of minutes and come back. Plus there's guards all up there on the watch towers to make sure nothing happens, like that girl gets out" As if one queue when Aki opened her eyes and dispelled the dokushin jutsu, her hair blew gently back into place and the mark faded on her head. The man with the bandana spoke to the other one. There was a series of nods and un-decided faces but then in the blink of an eye they were gone and she knew this was her chance. She sprinted up to the gate and didn't stop when she went through them. The watch-tower guards were to busy looking for out-side threats in the distance and they wouldn't see her if she went through the forest before she caught there line of eye-sight. 'Too easy, they really need to tighten the security here, but then again if I just ran past them without checking they would've seen me and I would be stuck in that 'Hokage's' room!' Aki shuddered and was far to caught up in her thoughts to notice a line of 4 people heading towards her. When she finally realised she ducked behind a bush and hid as best she could. As they got closer she saw one woman with black hair and red eyes, a girl with blue hair and white eyes, a boy with red markings on his face and a dog in his fleece and a boy who had covered his face with a coat collar but had black spectacles on. They were unusually quiet as they began to approach her 'Phew, I don't think they can sense me, I should be fine as soon as they walk past me' She couldn't ponder for long however as a kunai was heading towards the bush she was hiding in 'Crap, that didn't go as planned, stupid dogs and there stupid sensitive noses!' Aki jumped as high as she could out of the bush, flinching from the cut on her back and landed on the path crouch down in front of the group.

"Damn," Aki, holding her back with one hand looked up at the group in front of her; they all had suspicious and angry looks on there faces, except she couldn't see what the weird one was doing because of his high collar. But as she scanned them herself and took in the features, the boy with the dog in his fleece changed his expression to one of recognition. 'How does he know me? I've never seen him before in my life' Before he could open his mouth to speak however, there were bugs flying towards her out of the weird one's sleeve and it looked like there sensei was about to trap her in a genjutsu. Aki closed her eyes waiting for the impact of the bugs and to feel the effects of the illusion, but nothing came. She uncurled her arms from her head and opened her eyes only to see the boy with the dog hold his hand out to her smiling, with a fang showing.

"Here, I'm sorry let me help you up," But Aki didn't want to be helped up by this dog boy, she was meant to be escaping and now that plan had failed. She stood up; without the boys help and just stood there, looking at him in silence.

"Kiba, do you know this girl, who is she and what is she doing here?" The boys sensei spoke up but all Kiba did was nod and completely ignore the rest of her questions.

"What are you doing out here? I thought me and Naruto took you to the hos-," Before Kiba could finish his sentence Aki had pulled a smoke-bomb from the inside pocket on her kimono and let it off. As it was made in her village it wasn't normal smoke it had pollen mixed into it which made anyone sneeze; allergic or not. While they were all caught in this smoke bomb it had caught the attention of a couple of guards on watch, but they thought nothing of it, merely a genins joke gone wrong.

"Gomen, I have to save my family," Aki wasn't as horrible as that to just leave them there struggling so she apologised and before she jumped off she dropped a tube of blue liquid into Kiba's still open hand.

"This should stop the sneezing, ja ne," Kiba briefly looked up to her smiling face before returning to his sneezing fit. When the smoke had cleared, Aki was long gone and Kiba was just stood there with a stunned face, clenching the tube of 'antidote' in his hand.

"I c…can't stop… sneezing" Hinata was still letting off a few sneezes every 4 seconds as was Kurenai. However Kiba was the worst, because of his powerful nose, he was confused as to why Shino wasn't sneezing. Shino must have noticed and simply said

"The bugs have cleared it for me already,"

"Kiba, who w….was that g…girl, It was l…like you knew her but she d…didn't know y…you,"

"That's the girl I was telling you about. You know the one me and Naruto saved and the one Naruto has a crush on even though he won't admit to it," Kiba smirked in between sneezing, but Hinata's face dropped and she all of a sudden looked very upset.

"Well don't just stand there team 8, let's go after her!"

"Wait Kurenai-sensei, she gave me this antidote to stop the sneezing, see she's not all bad," Kiba produced the bottle of liquid and quickly passed it around, Kurenai, Kiba and Hinata each took a swig which stopped the sneezing almost instantly.

"D…didn't she s…say something about s…saving her f…family, Kiba?"

"Your right, she did. I have no idea why though, we only found her in the woods on the border so we have no idea where she comes from or what happened to her. She doesn't have a headband or anything," Kiba stopped when Akamaru barked.

"Yeah, come on we need to find her, Akamaru says he can follow her scent it's like…," Kiba stopped and sniffed his hand where the girl had folded his fingers around the antidote before leaving.

"Flowers, huh why does she smell like flowers? Oh well… that's what her scent is," Kurenai simply nodded and Shino, Hinata and Kurenai followed Kiba and Akamaru who were in the lead, then Shino spoke up as they were running.

"Should we really be chasing her? We have just come back from our mission and we need to tell Hokage-sama we're done. We shouldn't be chasing after Kiba's girlfriend,"

"She's not my girlfriend Shino! I'm just worried about her, did you see her grab her back when she jumped that means she's still injured,"

"Shino has a point Kiba, she's probably too far away now anyway and we don't know where's she headed. If we let Hokage-sama know then she can give it you and some others a mission. Team 8, retreat to the village immediately, this is an order!"

"Hai," With a sharp U-turn they were all headed back to the village and through the gate and they wouldn't stop till they got to the Hokage's tower. 'I can tell Naruto that she's gone later, but right now I need to let Hokage know, it's more important she knows' The whole group pushed through the doors and ran along the corridors, apologising at everybody they almost ran into. When they came to her office door they didn't bother to knock and ran straight in, out of breath and slightly red.

"Eh? Naruto what're you doing in here?"

"Oh Kiba, you know that girl well me, Sakura and Shikamaru just went to check on her and she was-,"

"Gone, I know that's what we were just coming to report, she banged into us when she was trying to escape, but she threw a smoke bomb and ran before we could catch her. But It was weird she apologised for throwing it and gave us an antidote for the sneezing pollen in it. Then said something about saving her family, we couldn't catch up to her and sensei thought we should report it to Tsunade-sama," Tsunade shifted in her seat and put her elbows on the desk with her hands folded in front of her mouth.

"I've heard enough! Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto you are to find Kakashi immediately and head out to find that girl and help her to her village then you are to bring her back to the village. I don't think she is a threat and is not likely to hurt anybody and is merely trying to get back to her village. But she will still be needed to answer questions and maybe then we can help her with her village, but find her soon! Its likely Akatsuki could still be in her village and this time they won't spare her life. Go!"

"Wait baa-chan before we go, when you examined the girl did you notice that strange mark on her fore-head, do you know what it is?" The others looked at him like he had just let it rip in public but Tsunade just looked confused.

"Well I did see a mark but didn't think anything of it, probably just a clan tattoo of some sort, maybe when you find her ask her she needs interviewing anyway,"

"On it!" Naruto spoke up and jumped out the window soon followed by Kiba and Sakura.

"Anyway Hokage, we're done with our mission," Kurenai shook off the incident that had just unfolded before her and remembered why they were in the Hokage's office in the first place.

"Very well, please be on standby in your homes in case I need you for anything," They simply nodded and walked out of her door just avoiding Shizune.

"Tsunade-sama, you have to fill out these contracts and check the team reports,"

"Shizune, I'll do that when I get back right now I have to find those 'so called guards' Izumo and Kotetsu and knock the cra- life out of them," Shizune simply stood aside and let her pass she didn't fancy getting in the way of her when she was angry. Those gate-keepers were at least going to be in hospital for a couple of weeks, Shizune gave off quick shudder thinking about it.

"He he, this new Icha Icha book's so good," Kakashi was leaning against a random billboard on the outskirts of Konoha town, only to stop reading and look up when he felt teeth biting at his foot and could hear small growls.

"Huh what is it Akamaru?" He had looked down only to see Akamaru biting on his sandals, he then barked in the direction of the town and within seconds Kiba, Naruto and Sakura had appeared as well.

"Kakashi-sensei, that girl me and Kiba rescued has escaped and Baa-chan said we had to have you as our commanding Jounin to go after her,"

"We need to be fast thought we think that she's going home to her country, wherever that is and Hokage-sama is worried that there might still be some Akatsuki in her village and that she will get hurt," Sakura had cut in she didn't feel like being left out.

"So please Kakashi-sensei me and Akamaru are good at sniffing things out we can help find her easier,"

"Whoa, whoa calm down guys, one at a time. Of course I will help you that girl is probably all mixed up with emotions her family has just been destroyed and she's woken up in a strange village hospital hooked to machines…she must be scared and not know what she's doing, so of course we will leave right now," Kakashi started to run only to stop and go back to where the 3 genin and a dog were. They all just stood there eyes wide and mouths open.

"What? Was it something I said?"

"That was some speech sensei where did that come from?"

"Oh…I don't know. Now do you want to save her or not?" There was a chorus of 'Hai' and they all jumped high enough to be out of site, then ran through the gates, shaking off why Izumo and Kotetsu were guarding the gates covered in bandages.

"Shoot! Which way, which way…" Aki was leaping through the thick forest and had completely lost the track, so she was lost and couldn't find her way out, and she was very far away from Konoha now. 'I'm never going to be able to save my parents at this rate! I will become stronger than anyone and get revenge on Akatsuki, half-dead or not!' Just then she felt a stinging pain in her fore-head and put her hand up to soothe it a little bit. 'Damn, using the dokushin-jutsu really drains me and then I get this weird stinging in my head. Maybe I'm not strong enough to handle it yet,' As she was jumping through the tree's she felt a presence; more like a feeling, that somebody was following, when it disappeared she shrugged it off and continued, only to come to a very sudden-halt and a slam on the tree-branch when a shadowy figure landed in front of her. The figure must have been looking down at her because it looked like there eyes were closed when the figure did look up however, she was shocked but she didn't show it; she had to look like she was calm, this person might be trying to help her, not hurt her. She guessed it was a boy because of his figure and he looked short, so he was probably her age. What shocked her most was that the boy's eyes were…red. 'Those eyes… I recognise them. Maybe he's seen me running in circles for the past 20 minutes and wants to help me. But then again, why are they coming after me this deep in the forest where nobody can hear or see me; makes a lot of sense. However he is only a kid but like momma said, never judge a book by its cover' They just looked at each other in silence, Aki realising she was still sat on the branch where she fell, stood up and brushed herself off, the boy was obviously shocked by her movement and reach for something behind him. Aki spoke first; not being able to stand the silence.

"Whoa careful, I'm just standing up, jeez!" The boy moved his arm back down to his side.

"Look if you're just going to stand there and not do anything, then can you at least let me get back to my home village, I need to get there before they send a squad of to find me,"

"So you're a run-away? I'm sorry I don't believe your story about going to your home village as it's the ocean beyond here, so I will just have to kill you for trespassing."

"Did you ever think I lived on an island? You have to get to my country by going across the ocean teme,"

"You don't have a headband though; you can't be part of a village,"

"Look I'm not going to waste time answering your dumbass questions I'm really trying to get home, I need to check if anyone is still alive, after the whole village was slaughtered by those two men. I come from a village on an island out in the sea okay? We don't have head-bands we have flowers in our hair, but I lost mine when I woke up in that Konoha hospital!" The boy's widened when she mentioned the last thing about Konoha and she knew she hit a nerve. When his eyes widened however that was all it took for Aki to remember.

"Oh…my, those eyes get away from me. STAY AWAY!" Aki started to walk backwards being cautious to not fall off the tree.

"What?" The boy stopped, looking confused when some words started to float around his head like 'anyone is still alive' and 'whole village was slaughtered' and especially 'by those two men' it didn't add up at first it just sounded like her village had been attacked by thugs but now she was scared of his eyes? He knew he had sharingan activated then it clicked. "Itachi…"

"You're not going to try and kill me like he did are you?"

"No I won't I just have one more question, was it Akatsuki that attacked your village?" Aki just nodded and the boy went on "Was one of them named Itachi?"

"Yeah it was and I am going to kill him, to get revenge on what he did to me and my family!" The boy she was talking to stepped forward into the light, he had black-blue hair that was spiky at the back and now she could see his red eyes in full; he was smirking. He was too quick for Aki and in a second he was about 2cm away from her face. "Itachi is my brother, he slaughtered my village and so here's one word of advice, stay away from Akatsuki there dangerous business and Itachi's mine!" Aki just stared at him for a minute and looked onto his eyes they were full of hatred and sadness. Aki thought this was the perfect chance to read his mind but she had to be quick. She stepped away from him, careful not to slip off the branch she closed her eyes and did a hand-seal

"Dokushin no jutsu" Then the mark on her fore-head glowed pink and she started to read his mind. "Not this girl as well, I can feel her hatred for my brother. But it's my job to kill him I am Uchiha Sasuke the avenger." At this she opened her eyes and smiled making the boy in front of her relax a little. She also found out he was originally going to kill her that is until he found out about Itachi and changed his mind.

"Well, Uchiha Sasuke, I don't need you feeling sorry for me, because right now I have to go and help anybody in my village that might have a chance, now I'd appreciate it if you moved or I'm going to have a whole group of Konoha ninjas after me!"

"By any chance was one of them called…Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Gomen, I wouldn't know I just remember your brother not killing me after he had chased me and I got to Konoha forest and fainted then woke up in hospital and ran away. I did bang into a dog-boy a bug-boy a quiet girl and a woman with red eyes, not like yours though," She saw his face slightly dropped

"You will not tell anyone of this encounter, got it? By the way what was that power you used?"

"As if I'd tell you, I come from the prestigious Koshima clan. The head of the flower country! Don't worry I wouldn't dream of telling anybody…Sasuke this has just been too weird of a day," She smiled at him then was about to jump away when she heard voices. 'Koshima clan huh, never heard of them before or the flower country'

"Oi, what did you run away for, everyone's worried about you!" Aki turned around wide eyed. "Crap, it's the dog-boy and he's brought friends! See ya never Sasuke,"

Then Aki jumped away from the branch at full speed as fast as she could she knew she'd wasted too much time and they were much faster than her. She noticed Sasuke jump of in the opposite direction to her; but at the same time away from the Konoha Nin. 'Interesting…I will have to find out who that Naruto kid is, then if I do ever see that Uchiha kid again I can tell him. Maybe if I get stronger he will let me help him beat Itachi. Wait I doubt that maybe I can take the fish one!'

"That's it! The end of the forest! It's ocean after that how do you plan on getting home you might as well stop!" She heard a girl's voice behind her, Sakura; but she didn't know that. However Aki smirked how clueless could some people be! She came out into the light away from the forest and saw the ocean in front of her. 'This is how I got here so I know I go that way. But there are no boats, I could use my chakra to walk on water but that would waste a lot. Oh well it's worth a shot.' So Aki continued to run and didn't stop quickly stepping on the water and trying to maintain her chakra, she was now out on open, ocean so they could see her easily. She looked behind only to see that they could all walk on water too, but the blonde boy in the orange was up front speeding up by the second with a determined look in his eyes. Suddenly he disappeared from her view when she turned around to the front again she banged into the boy and sat on the water looking up at him. 'Great! It's over I couldn't save anybody. I'm sorry. They're probably going to give me some horrible punishment and get a skilled ninja to cut me up into little pieces and give it to ninja dogs!' She was shaken out of her thoughts when she looked up at the boy he was now smiling with a sparkle in his eyes and his hand out; was she supposed to take it? She looked from his face to his hand to his face again and took it; he did, he helped her stand up. They stared at each other until Aki started to sink in the water, her chakra was running out she had used to dokushin jutsu too much!

"Hey, careful," She saw the voice came from the strange man with white hair and had a mask over his face and a headband covering his left eye. He was running towards her and put her on his back. "You don't want to fall in the water," Aki was slightly embarrassed about being on this mans back; she didn't even know him, but she smiled.

"Arigato, but please, please don't take me back to your village, I really need to get to my own! I need to check if anybody is still alive especially my…my p…parents…"

"Don't worry! Hokage-sama sent us to come and help you, not take you back to Konoha, well we will after you're done because you need somewhere to live until your village is fixed right?" The orange dressed boy said.

"Oh yeah and Hokage-sama said she can get Konoha to help with re-building your village too, but we should be careful because Akatsuki might still be there. You know who they are right?" Aki nodded and shuddered at the name of Akatsuki it brought back terrible, blood-covered memories.

"Before we go we still don't know a lot about you, tell us while we make our way there. You don't have to walk, save your strength and I'll carry you,"

"Arigato" Aki smiled and turned back to the dog-boy "And uh…I'm sorry about the pollen bomb thing earlier!" He just laughed at her and told her it was fine, before they started to run the man with the white hair spoke-up.

"First you need to know are names then you can tell us yours okay. Guys line up," The three genin got in a line and the man spoke again. "I am Hatake Kakashi; this is Inuzuka Kiba, Haruno Sakura and the number one noisiest ninja in surprising people; Uzumaki Naruto."

"Nice to meet you, I am Koshima Aki, from the flower country." She smiled at the 4 in front of her, she saw Naruto mime her name in his head then look up and smile. 'Uzumaki Naruto…where have I heard that name before…' All of a sudden that strange boy she met earlier voice rang round and round in her head 'By any chance was one of them called…Uzumaki Naruto? That's it! He's friends with that Uchiha kid but he said not to tell anybody and I have to keep my promise even if I don't know the boy! Naruto must miss him, maybe he will tell me his goals and ambitions later'

"The flower country, where is that?"

"Hai, not a lot of people know about it because it's a small bunch of islands in the middle of nowhere and there aren't a lot of ninjas; but to me…it's home " Then Aki told them the way and they ran in the direction of her island. All the while Aki was thinking about Sasuke and wondering why he had run away, why she couldn't tell anybody she met him and why was he so attached to this blonde kid. Whilst Aki was on Kakashi's back she felt the grip in her hair loosen so she went to push it back into her hair, that's when she remembered she wanted to know who gave it to her. Naruto noticed her movement and saw the grip in her hair 'She actually wore it, I wonder if she knows if I gave it to her' As if Sakura had read Naruto's mind; although she probably just saw him staring at Aki she spoke up to help him, Naruto caught Sakura's eye and saw her wink he was confused by this.

"Aki, that's a really beautiful flower-grip in your hair where did you get it? Was it made in your village?" Naruto had to hide his blush as she said this but he held it down and turned to Aki casually, only to notice she was blushing a little.

"Actually Sakura…I found this as a present in the hospital when I woke up. It's really beautiful and I can't wait to thank the person who gave it to me. There a really sweet person," Naruto could only think 'Oh good, she doesn't know…maybe I should tell her…'

"Ano…Aki, I u…um…" Aki barely heard Naruto over the splashing of water under there feet but she picked it out.

"Yeah Naruto, what is it?" Aki gave her sweetest smiling while looking at Naruto.

"Well since me and Kiba were the ones that found you, when I picked you up to take you to hospital I noticed the really cool flower in your hair fell out into some mud. I felt bad afterwards so I was the one that got you that grip," By the time he had finished his voice was barely a whisper. Sakura was smiling and giving a look as if to say 'well done Naruto, that was brave' and Kiba was just smirking as if thinking 'smooth Naruto…smooth'

"Kakashi put me down for a second please," Kakashi just nodded and let Aki down, they had stopped running now and Aki walked limply to Naruto it wasn't very far as he was a bit further left of Kakashi. When she finally reached Naruto she did something nobody had ever done to Naruto before in his life so it was a bit of a shock and he didn't know what to do; she hugged him. It only lasted a couple of seconds but Naruto still displayed a light blush when Aki began to talk.

"Arigato Naruto, that was very sweet of you, you know I like this better than the original flower? Too bad that was like my head-band!"

"No problem. Now let's hurry and save your village!" Everyone wondered where the strange enthusiasm had suddenly come from in Naruto.

"Kakashi I think I can walk now and thanks for doing that,"

"Anytime," As quick as team 7 and Kiba and Aki were there on the water they were gone headed again in the same direction, and they wouldn't stop until Aki's island was in view.


End file.
